Hi Sara,
Some members here were long time vegetarians before the MC hit.
Offhand, I recall Maggie and Mary Beth were. And me too. I was an ovolacto vegetarian (ethical) for 12 years. In retrospect, I believe that this may have contributed to the development of my food MC/sensitivities. For years I ODed on gluten whole grains, dairy (especially cheese) and of course, soy (think tons of tofu). I wonder if this could have precipitated my health problems, especially knowing now that I have hunter-gatherer genes.
It seemed like an ugly cosmic joke when I realized that, to be healthy, I had to overhaul my eating habits and go back to eating meat. It was so painful for me, but I realized that "it is what it is" and made the change. I have to admit that I feel so much better eating meat. I guess one can't argue with genes. Sigh.
Re Cordain's book, I like the fact that he has no less than 400 references at the end to scientific studies that corroborate his thinking. To me, his evolutionary theory makes perfect sense.
Love,
Polly
P.S. Are you a writer by profession? (I'm nosy)!
Paging Sara, former GF vegan (isn't that an oxymoron?)
Moderators: Rosie, JFR, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh, mbeezie
Paging Sara, former GF vegan (isn't that an oxymoron?)
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Polly and other reformed vegetarians,
I felt very conflicted as well about eating the amount of meat I eat now. However, I do try to buy humanely raised animal products, so that helps a little.
Did you happen to see the latest Nutrition Action? The main article focuses on needing higher protein intake as we age to help maintain muscle mass. Now that's good news!! I also believe there is health benefit from having fewer carbs.
Mary Beth
I felt very conflicted as well about eating the amount of meat I eat now. However, I do try to buy humanely raised animal products, so that helps a little.
Did you happen to see the latest Nutrition Action? The main article focuses on needing higher protein intake as we age to help maintain muscle mass. Now that's good news!! I also believe there is health benefit from having fewer carbs.
Mary Beth
"If you believe it will work out, you'll see opportunities. If you believe it won't you will see obstacles." - Dr. Wayne Dyer
Polly,
You would be surprised how workable GF vegan can be - for someone out there, not most of us!
Your thoughts on this are very interesting. I have eaten vegetarian, semi-veg, and "rare/less meat" for many years. In my youth I certainly lived on pasta (cheap, easy to prepare... great medium for garlic). But I haven't been primarily eating that way for some time. I had gone pretty "hard core" - so even tofu was occasional, and I have never liked fake-meat products. I would guess we (almost?) all had sensitivities to gluten (and more) like a cloud on the horizon, but I don't think diet alone tipped it from threat to reality. Something kicked it into action, would be my guess. Pathogen, environmental thing, aging/hormones, luck?
I think it makes sense that the kind of eating that works in youth isn't the same thing that would work in middle age and beyond. I have a friend struggling to lose weight. But she keeps talking about how she ate when she weighed 102 without any effort or thought, but was quite active. I don't care how many hours she spends at the gym now (a lot!) - she's going to have to look at diet, and yes, hate to say it, "restrictions," sooner or later. (And the fact she's so resistant makes me wonder - there are so many ways to approach such matters without deprivation.)
I respect Cordain's scientific credibility, too. I also read someone criticizing his approach (this was before returning MC ate my brain) - the review was so slanted and sneering, intellectually dishonest, and, frankly, irrational, that it discredited itself far more than his work. It prompted me to put his book in my Amazon shopping cart, instead of getting it from the library ;) I assume that if the review's author had sound arguments against Cordain's work, s/he would have presented them.
I don't write by profession - thank you for asking, I am flattered! I believe that is a hint that I should buckle down and make some progress any one of the writing projects I have floating in various stages from notion to draft.
Mary Beth, that is fascinating about retaining muscle mass! (I will check out Nutrition Action - thank you for that, too.) I was conflicted about eating meat, and even more so about the huge percentage of my diet that it turns out to be these days. I need to eat larger portions of meat, more frequently, and probably a greater variety of meats as well. Though I need to caution myself that I can't draw firm conclusions till I get reacquainted with Norman, I am currently feeling better when I keep even the bananas/applesauce/sweet potato percentage down, and the broth/meat percent up. Hoping eggs are working.... thinking of having a few egg-free days in a row, just to see. Yesterday my husband brought home some sushi, and he has been trying so earnestly to find things I can eat, I couldn't bear to refuse yet another attempt to help (come to think of it, he has real hunter-gatherer potential himself). So I had some, without disastrous results, but with noticeable bloat, I'm assuming from the rice (or it could have been the vinegar, or.... I skipped the soy sauce).
We have pretty good access to humanely raised meat/eggs, fortunately, and that does help with this transition. Not everyone has access, or budget, or inclination to make that a priority - but food has always been a pretty big priority for us.
I know this is totally fanciful - but I can picture the young hunter/gatherers out snacking on all sorts of veg as they went about their work or procuring calories (for a reasonable expenditure of calories), while folks my age gathered a little less, and sat around the camp a bit more taking care of the (great)grandchildren and grand-nieces & nephews who were too young to forage. And then they (we) got rewarded with a terrific steak (and yes, whatever plants were in season). So maybe some shift in macronutrient proportions has a historic basis. They make puppy chow and senior dog food... OK, that's probably mostly marketing!
But I do feel as though a thoughtful approach - not just shopping among nutrition/diet/cuisine titles, but a serious and personalized investigation - could help me to age healthier than I might have if I didn't have MC - at least in some respects.
Good health and healthful eating to all!
Sara
You would be surprised how workable GF vegan can be - for someone out there, not most of us!
Your thoughts on this are very interesting. I have eaten vegetarian, semi-veg, and "rare/less meat" for many years. In my youth I certainly lived on pasta (cheap, easy to prepare... great medium for garlic). But I haven't been primarily eating that way for some time. I had gone pretty "hard core" - so even tofu was occasional, and I have never liked fake-meat products. I would guess we (almost?) all had sensitivities to gluten (and more) like a cloud on the horizon, but I don't think diet alone tipped it from threat to reality. Something kicked it into action, would be my guess. Pathogen, environmental thing, aging/hormones, luck?
I think it makes sense that the kind of eating that works in youth isn't the same thing that would work in middle age and beyond. I have a friend struggling to lose weight. But she keeps talking about how she ate when she weighed 102 without any effort or thought, but was quite active. I don't care how many hours she spends at the gym now (a lot!) - she's going to have to look at diet, and yes, hate to say it, "restrictions," sooner or later. (And the fact she's so resistant makes me wonder - there are so many ways to approach such matters without deprivation.)
I respect Cordain's scientific credibility, too. I also read someone criticizing his approach (this was before returning MC ate my brain) - the review was so slanted and sneering, intellectually dishonest, and, frankly, irrational, that it discredited itself far more than his work. It prompted me to put his book in my Amazon shopping cart, instead of getting it from the library ;) I assume that if the review's author had sound arguments against Cordain's work, s/he would have presented them.
I don't write by profession - thank you for asking, I am flattered! I believe that is a hint that I should buckle down and make some progress any one of the writing projects I have floating in various stages from notion to draft.
Mary Beth, that is fascinating about retaining muscle mass! (I will check out Nutrition Action - thank you for that, too.) I was conflicted about eating meat, and even more so about the huge percentage of my diet that it turns out to be these days. I need to eat larger portions of meat, more frequently, and probably a greater variety of meats as well. Though I need to caution myself that I can't draw firm conclusions till I get reacquainted with Norman, I am currently feeling better when I keep even the bananas/applesauce/sweet potato percentage down, and the broth/meat percent up. Hoping eggs are working.... thinking of having a few egg-free days in a row, just to see. Yesterday my husband brought home some sushi, and he has been trying so earnestly to find things I can eat, I couldn't bear to refuse yet another attempt to help (come to think of it, he has real hunter-gatherer potential himself). So I had some, without disastrous results, but with noticeable bloat, I'm assuming from the rice (or it could have been the vinegar, or.... I skipped the soy sauce).
We have pretty good access to humanely raised meat/eggs, fortunately, and that does help with this transition. Not everyone has access, or budget, or inclination to make that a priority - but food has always been a pretty big priority for us.
I know this is totally fanciful - but I can picture the young hunter/gatherers out snacking on all sorts of veg as they went about their work or procuring calories (for a reasonable expenditure of calories), while folks my age gathered a little less, and sat around the camp a bit more taking care of the (great)grandchildren and grand-nieces & nephews who were too young to forage. And then they (we) got rewarded with a terrific steak (and yes, whatever plants were in season). So maybe some shift in macronutrient proportions has a historic basis. They make puppy chow and senior dog food... OK, that's probably mostly marketing!
But I do feel as though a thoughtful approach - not just shopping among nutrition/diet/cuisine titles, but a serious and personalized investigation - could help me to age healthier than I might have if I didn't have MC - at least in some respects.
Good health and healthful eating to all!
Sara